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Presidents have a long history of blaming their predecessors. Franklin Roosevelt reminded Americans what the “previous administration” had failed to do. Ronald Reagan was also regularly pointing to the shortcomings of his predecessor, Jimmy Carter.

The White House’s line of attack has generated a fresh round of email exchanges among former Bush staffers, who are rolling their eyes whenever Obama gets in a cloaked dig.

“He’s under a lot of pressure with the base of his party that does believe everything is George Bush’s fault,” said former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer. “Instead of resisting the pressure and proving he’s post-partisan, he’s quick to engage in the finger-pointing.”

Others also wonder whether the effectiveness of Bush-blaming has worn off.

“It’s not that Obama is trying to falsify the historical record. He’s correct in saying what he says, that he took steps that were necessary, if painful, to pull the country back from the abyss. But that happened two years ago. That’s ancient history. He might as well be talking about the signing of the Magna Carta,” said Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University.

While the results of Tuesday’s elections don’t change the White House’s course of action, Republicans point out that running against Bush has backfired in elections so far. “That strategy didn't work so well in Virginia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, so they can knock themselves out,” said former Bush press secretary Dana Perino.

The defeat of the Republican candidate in Pennsylvania’s special House election, Tim Burns, who ran against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and health reform, was perhaps another warning sign that voters don’t want Washington to bring partisan bickering into their backyards.

Democrats also are facing an enthusiasm problem this fall. Turnout was very low in Pennsylvania’s Democratic primary between Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Joe Sestak. And a Gallup poll showed conservative voters are much more excited about voting in November – 45 percent say they’re “very enthusiastic,” compared with 22 percent of moderates and 26 percent of liberals.

Whatever the argument, ultimately the economy may decide who wins out in November.

“It’s a really a hard sell,” Stephen Brooks, associate director of the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron, said of Obama’s current approach. “If however things do start getting better – even if I’m out of work, but half the people I know are back at work -- then the argument is a whole lot more persuasive. But if everybody I know is also out of work by November, it’s going to be really hard.”

of course we want obama to give the dem base some red meat ... jeez - that's academic ... the reps are saying he tripled the national debt when it was bush and reagan who sent it over a trillion dollars ... somebody has to call them out as spenders ...

He is a visionary thinker, and his rhetoric should reflect that,” said Democratic strategist Paul Begala. “I want President Obama to make a consistent, compelling indictment of conservative ideas.”

sadly his vision of America is not what the majority of people want. This guy is an empty suit that cannot and will not take responsibility for anything. I for one am sick of the blame game, there is enough blame on both sides of the isle to cover the universe. It's time to send them all home and get people that want to do what is right for the country not their career.

The defeat of the Republican candidate in Pennsylvania’s special House election, Tim Burns, who ran against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and health reform, was perhaps another warning sign that voters don’t want Washington to bring partisan bickering into their backyards.

Yeah sure keep bringing Bush up. Make us realize how much better Bush was than him. We long for the days when Bush was in charge. He would lose an election against Bush today. Maybe if Bush was back we would not have terroist attacks on our soil once a month. The spending - deficit thiing is ridiculous. Bush's spending while excessive is NOTHING compared to what we have endured since Obama. and it just continues without any sign of stopping. The blame Bush tactic screams desperation. Come on Obama you have run out of mileage using Bush. But keep on. We are laughing at you . You are weak and pathetic and everyone with a brain knows it

Obama has never stopped campaigning against Bush. It is laughable at best. Obama is a puppet and a fraud. There is a great lesson in electing a complete unknown to the highest office in the world just because he says hope and change and happens to be half black.

As I understand it, Murtha's aide ran against Obamacare, etc. as a conservative promising to keep Murtha's legacy alive by funneling pork to the area.

The murtha aide ran on a platform of he would not have supported healthcare, he was against cap and trade, he was anti abortion and anti gun control, in a district that is 2 to 1 democrat and won. So how the dems think this is a big victory. If he gets to washington and changes his view he will be toast.

Obama must be feeling that many people who voted for him are not supporting him anymore. The time for campaigning is over. Eventually, Mr. Obama, you have to take responsibility for your job, pick your priorities and fix what needs fixing. Otherwise, resign and lets get someone in who really care about the country and doesn't want to change it into a socialists state.

""“The president needs to indict not simply Bush or even Republicans. He is a visionary thinker, and his rhetoric should reflect that,” said Democratic strategist Paul Begala. “I want President Obama to make a consistent, compelling indictment of conservative ideas.”

If he is really a visionary thinker, he should be able to make a case for his ideas, instead of being a partisan and negative hack like Begala.

I would take Bush and his free market policies any day of the week over the incompetence and socialistic policies of Obama and his administration. I feel like I'm living in a nightmare with a migraine that won't be cured until Obama gets voted out of office .... of course by then my health care premiums will be through the roof.